Sheet separator and feeder



sass'r sBPARA'roR AND FEEDER Filed May 29, 1937 g. 1 1- M! 'W J06 f. "1!\'. 'hi J2 55 a i 1 1 L I [HZ/6%; L b/YJZGDL JCOTZ matic printing-presses and-automatic feedersfor" 7 erased June'i'o-,ji1939 SHEET SEPARATOR AND EEEnEn Dixon ca I assiznor to Otho n, h V V Beall,0hicago. lll, v

- a pue aonlm 1 1937 Serial to. 145,533

v seminar (CL2 71-.- 26) The present invention pertains or relates-to" 1 novel and improved meanstor separating the top sheets individually in succession from a pile of sheets of paper, cardboard, or the like, and'it is intended for employment on suction-fed auto printing-presses and the like.

. One outstanding and prominent object or purpose of the invention is to provide simple and effective suction means for separating the sheets one at a time from the top of the pile and carrying or conveying them away without danger of the next underlying sheet adhering thereto, or'of becoming displaced or mal-positioned.

To enable'those trained and skilled in this {to understand-the valuable features of structure and beneficial modefoi' operatlonof devices ineorporating the invention, present preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which like reference numerals have been employed to designate the same structural parts in the several i views, this appliance'being describedin detail.

below. I

In this drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one of the suction appliances of which/two or more would ordinarily be employed;

Figure 2 isan enlarged vertical section through the device:

Figure 3 is afront elevation of the same; Figure 4 is a bottom plan view;

@Flgure 5 is a front elevation of agmodifled structure; and w Figure 6'is afragmentary, enlarged, vertical 1 section through 'the suction-cup portion of the 'Referring't o this drawing, it will be observed I that one onlyof. two like structures has been illustrated, each being employed adjacent to one the front corners of the pile of sheets.

' n such sheet separating and feeding device is mounted on a suitable horizontal bar ll supported in any convenientmanner adjacent to having a groove H in one edge of thesheets of a pile l2, each device comprising an appropriately-shaped block I3 its lower part adapted to fit overthe-bar, as indicated set-screw i5. In its lower portion, in

ber such block or casting 13 opening cylindrical cavity I6 the upper, end of which'isconne'cted through a tube ll to aflex- I ible, rubber hose 18 joined to av suitable source artf a\ met'a.l-tube 2! split or slit longitudinally at lower-end andexpanded, thereby providing one or more openings, or ports 28, a centrally-aperin Figures 1 and 2, and maintained in proper position thereon by a 7 front of the bar ma has a downwardlyof suction, not shown, ough an automaticallyoperated valve I9, which at the proper moments subjects such cylindrical recess to the action of suction andat the correct times terminates such I sub atmospheric action therein, all'as will be readily understood I i 1 I I v A" .hollow piston. or plunger 21, slidable in and .fltting smoothly in the cylinder |6,'"h'as'a1hollo'w stem 22 of lesser diameter projecting downward- 1y therefrom and on which is mounted the'upper tubular portion 23 of a resilient or elastic rubber suction cup or shoe having a flaring lower portion-24 terminating in a marginal downwardlydirected-flange 2!}, such suction-shoe orsuctioncup being characterized, as a whole, 26.

Extended through the plunger-stem 22 and mounted therein in any convenient manner, as by ascrew-thre'ad connection, to permit its demounting {01' replacement of the suction-shoe, is its tured metal disc 29 of somewhat larger size being brazed or soldered or otherwise secured on, and

'in aidal alignment with, its lower end, such disc being located slightly above the bottom open mouth ofthe suction-shoe as is clearly illustrated. v a

From what precedes, it will be apparent that, when the valve l9 isopen, the suction is exerted on the inside of the rubber-shoe'or suction-cup, and, when the latter is applied to a sheet of paper and raised, the sheet or that portion of the sheet will be lifted'with it.

Such suction-shoe andthe piston or plunger on which it is mounted are normally pressed down by a coiled spring 30 but the piston is prevented from leaving the cylinder and the suction-shoe is precluded fromdescending too far, by the head of I a stop or limiting screw 3| which overlapsthe lower end of the plunger, and when such screw is removed it allows the plunger to be taken out of the cylinder, the spring normally bearing at its uppr end against the end wall of the cylindrical 5 cavity. and at its lower end against the end face of the recess in the plunger or piston.

Block or member II! at each side of the suctionshoe is fitted with an angular foot or buckle gauge 32 adjustable on the element l3, toward and from the suction-shoe by reason of a slot'and screw mounting securing the gauge in position. As will bereadily appreciated, the lower bent ends' or feet of such gauges are ordinarily posi- Jtionedjslightly above the. mouth of the suction-- to bear directly on the shoe and are adapted sheet of paper or the like on which the suctionshoe acts.

Either one or both of such buckle-gauges may be used and it or they, as the case may be, is or in all cases, another gauge or foot 34 may be mounted on the casting l3 and bear on the sheet .of paper directly to the rear of the suction-shoe 01' cup.

' Thus, the present appliancecomprises a suitever the vacuum-shoe seals itself on a sheet of paper, the accumulated vacuum or suction in the cylinder automatically lifts or raises the piston and the associated suction-shoe, elevating that part of the paper sheet, the complementary spring assuring return of the suction-shoe to original position, as soon as the suction expires.-

Bar II has a lateral arm 35 hinged or pivoted at 36 on a rock-arm I1 and arm 35 is actuated by a link 3|, whereby,,while the member 31 is stationary, bar II is first rocked upwardly by arm II in an arcuate path and then carried away by the rocking of arm I! around its pivot,rnot shown.

Assuming that the device has been operated by the mechanism shown, or in any other approved manner, to bring the several gauges and the suction-shoe down on to the upper surface, near the corner, of the top sheet of the pile, when the suction is applied, either before or after such contact of the shoe or cup with the sheet, the sheet seals the mouth ofthe rubber suction member and is held thereto by the subatmospheric pressure in the shoe.

As soon as such sealing or closure occurs, the suction in the cylinder raises the plunger and shoe lifting that part of the sheet, the neighboring portions of the sheet being held down by the several gauges, thus buckling the sheet and securing effective separation of it from the next underlying sheet of the pile. I

The flat disc I! in the suction-shoe prevents buckling of the sheet into the suction-cup unduly or excessively, as otherwise it would be likely to take a permanent set, crease or wrinkle.

When the paper sheet engages such disc, it adheres thereto by reason of the suction existing .in its aperture andcloses the aperture, but this does not terminate the suction in the rubber-cup because of the openings 28. 7

Thus the suction is applied to the center of that portion of the sheet adhering to the suctioncup and also applied thereto in the form of a ring spaced outwardly from such center, the ring referred to being defined or bordered by the edge of the disc on the one hand and by the marginal flange on the suction-cup on the other hand.

The suction-cup havirig'grasped the sheet in the manner stated, lever 35 is rocked by its link 38 to lift the bar I i and several elements mounted thereon and afterwards arm 31 is rocked to convey the sheet away, the timing of these operations being anything desirable.

It is to be understood that any one, two or the three of the gauges may be used as occasion requires, and, as is well understood, the thinner the paper the nearer gauges {I should be to the suction-cup or shoe.

Obviously, when the conveyed sheet is to be deposited, the suction is terminated by the valve l9 and then instituted in the suction-cup laterextended completely through it and adapted to receive the threaded shank or stem I03 carrying at its lower end a bent buckle-gauge ill, the portion of the stem above the member IOI being fitted with a thumb or set-nut I05. 4

By loosening the nut I", the gauge, by turning it, may be adjusted as to both position and height and after the adjustment has been effected, it may be maintained by again tightening the nut. i

As in the previous otherwise the same'asthe part II and is fitted with likev accessories including the hollow piston or plunger 2| and .its downwardly-extended, hollow stem 22, but the stop or gauge inside of the suction-cup is different and is mounted in a modified manner, facilitating its removaland replacement. I

In this case, this stop,'characterized as a whole I05, inside of the suction-cup comprises a suitinstance, the block m a ably-shaped piece of fine-mesh metallic-screen formed to provide a round, bottom, fiat part III with oppositely-arranged transversely-curved tongues or strips I", I" which partially or wholly surround and grasp the stem 22 between them, their upper ends I [0,. I" being bent outwardly and downwardly outside of the rubber suction-cup 26;

The resilient and-elastic suction-cup when in place, as shown in Figure 6, holds the ends of the tongues against the lower face of the plunger 2! and compresses thetongues themselves against the stem 22 sumciently to keep both the stop and the suction-cup in position, but nevertheless in a mannerrendering them capable of demounting by pulling downwardly thereon, after which the parts may be readily replaced using a new suction-cup to take the place of the worn-out one.

As will bereadily understood, the open mesh of the stop member permits the proper applicaessence of the invention as defined by the ap- Y pended claims and' without the loss or sacrifice .of any of the material benefits or advantages accruing from the employment of the invention.

I claim:

' 1..In an apparatus for successively separating the top-most sheets of a pile individually and conveying the same away from the pile, the combination of a member having a downwardly-facing cylindrical cavity, a plunger reciprocatcry in said cavity, a hollow resilient suction-cup mounted on and movable with said plunger, conduit sarcasm means connecting the interior of said suctioncup with said cavity, a stop "in and near'the mouth of said suction-cup'limiting the degree of flexure oi the sheet in said suction-cup without interfering with the continuance of the'suction in the cup acting on the sheet, a spring tending to force; said plunger and suction-cup down,

means limiting the descent of said plunger and suction-cup, means to apply and to terminate the application of suction in said may and suctioncup, one or more buckle-gauges mounted on and movable with said member, and-means to move said member and associated elements to cause said gauge or gauges and suction-cup to engage the top sheet of a pile, to separate such sheet from the pile, and to convey it away, the applied suction in said cavity overcoming the action of said spring and raising the plunger and the suction-cup.

2. The structure presented in claim 1 in which said conduit comprises a tube mounted on said plunger and on which said suctioncup is mounted, said'tube connecting said cavity with the interior of said suction-cup, and in which said stop is mounted on said tube.

plungerand connecting said cavity with the interlor of said suction-cup, said suction-cup being mounted on said tube, and in which me stop in communication wlthsaid tube, said tube having one or more openings therethrough above said comprises an apertured disc with this aperture disc and connecting withthe interior said! suction-shoe. I v

4. The structure presented in claim 1 in which said stop is made of wire-mesh fabric.

5. The structure presented in claim 1 in'which said plunger has a hollow downwardly-extended stem and in which said stop and said suction-cup are both mounted on'said stem.

6. Thestructure presented in claim 1 in which said stop is made of wire-mesh fabric. in which said plunger has a hollow downwardly-extended stem and in which and stop and said suction-cup are both mounted on said stem.

'l. The structure presented in claim 1 in which saidst'op is made of wire-mesh fabric, in which said plunger has a hollow downwardly-extended stem, and in which said stop and said suctioncup are both mounted on said stem, said suctioncup holding said stop on said stem.

.8. The structure presented in claim l'in which g each buckle-gauge is, adjustabieangularly and as to height on said member.

9. The structure presented in claim 1 in which each buckle-gauge has ascrew-threaded shank in a screw-threaded hole in said member, in combination with a lock-nut on said shank.

I JOHN G. DIXON. 

